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6 meter openings and how to catch them

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wayne burdick

6 meter openings and how to catch them

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For most of the year 6 meters seems catatonic, at least to those of us with mortal-scale antennas. But then there are times, like right now, where a magic mirror appears in the sky, capriciously reflecting signals all other place. It’s called “sporadic-E.”

When the magic is happening, even those with modest antennas, tuned for 6 meters or not, can get in on the fun. What I do is park my K3S or KX3 at 50.125 USB with the squelch turned on, in case someone starts calling CQ above the noise.

With both rigs, you can turn on “CW-in-SSB” mode in the CW WGHT menu entry, allowing you to either use SSB or CW as required. (A lot of cross-mode happens on this band since QSB--fading--can come up without warning, leading some ops to switch from SSB to CW to finish a QSO.)

A great tool that has been mentioned here before is dxmaps.com, which gives you a snapshot of activity on any band of your choice, or all bands, or certain subsets. You can sign up to get alerts emailed to you when a band of interest gets interesting.

I’ve had multiple alerts each of the past several days -- ’tis the season.

73,
Wayne
N6KR

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NK7Z

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

Wayne,

I have a script Perl that scrapes my DX cluster, (will work with any DX
cluster), then announces when, and what bands are open, via an MP3 file
played on my home PC, for each band, based on how many spots from zone 3
are sent from DX stations to the cluster nets... Works every time on 6
meter openings...

73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
https://www.nk7z.net

On 05/04/2018 10:53 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:

> For most of the year 6 meters seems catatonic, at least to those of us with mortal-scale antennas. But then there are times, like right now, where a magic mirror appears in the sky, capriciously reflecting signals all other place. It’s called “sporadic-E.”
>
> When the magic is happening, even those with modest antennas, tuned for 6 meters or not, can get in on the fun. What I do is park my K3S or KX3 at 50.125 USB with the squelch turned on, in case someone starts calling CQ above the noise.
>
> With both rigs, you can turn on “CW-in-SSB” mode in the CW WGHT menu entry, allowing you to either use SSB or CW as required. (A lot of cross-mode happens on this band since QSB--fading--can come up without warning, leading some ops to switch from SSB to CW to finish a QSO.)
>
> A great tool that has been mentioned here before is dxmaps.com, which gives you a snapshot of activity on any band of your choice, or all bands, or certain subsets. You can sign up to get alerts emailed to you when a band of interest gets interesting.
>
> I’ve had multiple alerts each of the past several days -- ’tis the season.
>
> 73,
> Wayne
> N6KR
>
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

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Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:[hidden email]

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Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
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kc2vic

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

Dave,

Is that script available somewhere on your website?

Rob
KC2VIC

On Fri, May 4, 2018, 4:39 PM Dave Cole (NK7Z) <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Wayne,
>
> I have a script Perl that scrapes my DX cluster, (will work with any DX
> cluster), then announces when, and what bands are open, via an MP3 file
> played on my home PC, for each band, based on how many spots from zone 3
> are sent from DX stations to the cluster nets... Works every time on 6
> meter openings...
>
> 73s and thanks,
> Dave
> NK7Z
> https://www.nk7z.net
>
> On 05/04/2018 10:53 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> > For most of the year 6 meters seems catatonic, at least to those of us
> with mortal-scale antennas. But then there are times, like right now, where
> a magic mirror appears in the sky, capriciously reflecting signals all
> other place. It’s called “sporadic-E.”
> >
> > When the magic is happening, even those with modest antennas, tuned for
> 6 meters or not, can get in on the fun. What I do is park my K3S or KX3 at
> 50.125 USB with the squelch turned on, in case someone starts calling CQ
> above the noise.
> >
> > With both rigs, you can turn on “CW-in-SSB” mode in the CW WGHT menu
> entry, allowing you to either use SSB or CW as required. (A lot of
> cross-mode happens on this band since QSB--fading--can come up without
> warning, leading some ops to switch from SSB to CW to finish a QSO.)
> >
> > A great tool that has been mentioned here before is dxmaps.com, which
> gives you a snapshot of activity on any band of your choice, or all bands,
> or certain subsets. You can sign up to get alerts emailed to you when a
> band of interest gets interesting.
> >
> > I’ve had multiple alerts each of the past several days -- ’tis the
> season.
> >
> > 73,
> > Wayne
> > N6KR
> >
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]

Paul Van Dyke

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

I was going to ask that too

Paul KB9AVO

On Fri, May 4, 2018 at 5:03 PM, Robert Felmey <[hidden email]> wrote:

> Dave,
>
> Is that script available somewhere on your website?
>
> Rob
> KC2VIC
>
> On Fri, May 4, 2018, 4:39 PM Dave Cole (NK7Z) <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> > Wayne,
> >
> > I have a script Perl that scrapes my DX cluster, (will work with any DX
> > cluster), then announces when, and what bands are open, via an MP3 file
> > played on my home PC, for each band, based on how many spots from zone 3
> > are sent from DX stations to the cluster nets... Works every time on 6
> > meter openings...
> >
> > 73s and thanks,
> > Dave
> > NK7Z
> > https://www.nk7z.net
> >
> > On 05/04/2018 10:53 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> > > For most of the year 6 meters seems catatonic, at least to those of us
> > with mortal-scale antennas. But then there are times, like right now,
> where
> > a magic mirror appears in the sky, capriciously reflecting signals all
> > other place. It’s called “sporadic-E.”
> > >
> > > When the magic is happening, even those with modest antennas, tuned for
> > 6 meters or not, can get in on the fun. What I do is park my K3S or KX3
> at
> > 50.125 USB with the squelch turned on, in case someone starts calling CQ
> > above the noise.
> > >
> > > With both rigs, you can turn on “CW-in-SSB” mode in the CW WGHT menu
> > entry, allowing you to either use SSB or CW as required. (A lot of
> > cross-mode happens on this band since QSB--fading--can come up without
> > warning, leading some ops to switch from SSB to CW to finish a QSO.)
> > >
> > > A great tool that has been mentioned here before is dxmaps.com, which
> > gives you a snapshot of activity on any band of your choice, or all
> bands,
> > or certain subsets. You can sign up to get alerts emailed to you when a
> > band of interest gets interesting.
> > >
> > > I’ve had multiple alerts each of the past several days -- ’tis the
> > season.
> > >
> > > 73,
> > > Wayne
> > > N6KR
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________________________
> > > Elecraft mailing list
> > > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> > >
> > > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > > Message delivered to [hidden email]
> > >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email]
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email]
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email]
>

NK7Z

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

In reply to this post by kc2vic

I can put it there... Give me a moment...

73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
https://www.nk7z.net

On 05/04/2018 02:03 PM, Robert Felmey wrote:

> Dave,
>
> Is that script available somewhere on your website?
>
> Rob
> KC2VIC
>
> On Fri, May 4, 2018, 4:39 PM Dave Cole (NK7Z) <[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>> wrote:
>
> Wayne,
>
> I have a script Perl that scrapes my DX cluster, (will work with any DX
> cluster), then announces when, and what bands are open, via an MP3 file
> played on my home PC, for each band, based on how many spots from
> zone 3
> are sent from DX stations to the cluster nets... Works every time on 6
> meter openings...
>
> 73s and thanks,
> Dave
> NK7Z
> https://www.nk7z.net
>
> On 05/04/2018 10:53 AM, Wayne Burdick wrote:
> > For most of the year 6 meters seems catatonic, at least to those
> of us with mortal-scale antennas. But then there are times, like
> right now, where a magic mirror appears in the sky, capriciously
> reflecting signals all other place. It’s called “sporadic-E.”
> >
> > When the magic is happening, even those with modest antennas,
> tuned for 6 meters or not, can get in on the fun. What I do is park
> my K3S or KX3 at 50.125 USB with the squelch turned on, in case
> someone starts calling CQ above the noise.
> >
> > With both rigs, you can turn on “CW-in-SSB” mode in the CW WGHT
> menu entry, allowing you to either use SSB or CW as required. (A lot
> of cross-mode happens on this band since QSB--fading--can come up
> without warning, leading some ops to switch from SSB to CW to finish
> a QSO.)
> >
> > A great tool that has been mentioned here before is dxmaps.com
> <http://dxmaps.com>, which gives you a snapshot of activity on any
> band of your choice, or all bands, or certain subsets. You can sign
> up to get alerts emailed to you when a band of interest gets
> interesting.
> >
> > I’ve had multiple alerts each of the past several days -- ’tis
> the season.
> >
> > 73,
> > Wayne
> > N6KR
> >
> >
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________
> > Elecraft mailing list
> > Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> > Post: mailto:[hidden email]
> <mailto:[hidden email]>
> >
> > This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> > Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> > Message delivered to [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
> >
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:[hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
> Message delivered to [hidden email] <mailto:[hidden email]>
>

K7MDL

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

In reply to this post by wayne burdick

CONTENTS DELETED

The author has deleted this message.

NK7Z

Re: 6 meter openings and how to catch them

In reply to this post by kc2vic

Here is a quick and dirty page with the script in it.

https://www.nk7z.net/cluster-scraper-for-dx-opening/

It is well commented, but remember it is a work in progress, I am in the
process of switching from Zones, to Grids, as the trigger area, so a lot
of extra code is in it that appears to not do much...

Have fun. If you decide to take on the change over to maidenhead grids
let me know, I'll wait, and just get a copy of your version... If you
improve it, please let me have a copy of the improved code... I will
add a CC release to this version later this week. Our local club
meeting is this evening in about an hour, so I need to run...

It is NOT plug and play, you will need to look at the subroutine named
"cluster login", and change to your favorite cluster. There are a lot
of directory dependent things in it as well...

It will not take any more resources that a spotting program, while
connected to a cluster, but it will auto log back in forever, so you may
want to break that feature before you use it.

It also has my local IP address for my machine that runs the cluster.
Feel free to use:

nk7z-cluster.ddns.net:7373

as the cluster to test with... That is also a freely available cluster
for anyone to use... It is a reasonably well connected cluster...

Everything is globally declared, so there is a lot of space saving that
could happen... I want to get it running before I dress it up...

73s and thanks,
Dave
NK7Z
https://www.nk7z.net

On 05/04/2018 02:03 PM, Robert Felmey wrote: